308 Winchester

[Desert Fox]

Is 308 Winchester can be considered a long range cartridge? If so, what's the maximum range one might be able to make a clean kill using this cartridge on a deersize games. JR

[petey]

Why sure it is. But first lets define "Long Range". To some that could be 200 and others 2000 yards. The .308? Many use it for the 1000 yard bench rest shooting.
But as far as deer sized game, it may not have the wallop to do the job at 1000 yards.

Lets take some sample data I just plugged into my Exball program.

150gr Serria Match Kings around 2750 fps at 10 ft from the muzzle will produce 2532.8 ft-lbs of energy. At 600 it's producing 774.9 ft-lbs of energy, still enough to take down a deer. But at 1000 yards it's only producing 354.5 ft-lbs of energy and if it were me behind the trigger shooting this load, I wouldn't stretch it past 650 yards from the energy produced alone.

By the way, my program says that's a 451.8" drop at 1000 yards, um that's almost a 38' drop! Quite the difference from my 7 Rum dropping only 270" at 1000 yards and having 600 ft-lbs of energy.

Now lets bump up to a 168 Gr Match King at 2750 fps (if you could get that?) at 600 yards the energy is 826.7 ft-lbs and 472 at 1000 yards. That's enough to give you another 150 yards from what I'm seeing. At 800 you're getting 675.7 ft-lbs so in some poeple's book that wouldn't be enough but with the size of the deer we shoot long range, that's enough energy to do the job.

There's a lot of variables that come into play, obvioiusly I just showed you 2 different bullets fired from the same gun at the same velocity produced different energy (you got more power from the heavier bullet). I haven't even brought in the other 20 variables...

I won't get into a long drawn out explanation of those variables, in short; I wouldn't neccesarily be using the .308 for shooting deer at 1000 yards since there are much better choices, but I would use it to shoot one at 650 and not even think twice (1000 yards?? well I might think twice about that one).

By the way, welcome to Huntchat

[Desert Fox]

Petey, thanks for your insight. It is then safe for me to surmised that the 308 is a good 500 yard cartridge and can be extended to 650 yards if the condition is right. RJ

[Hawkeye6]

Why would you want to try a shot at a deer at 500 yards?

[California Hunter]

It is plenty of everything out to 500 yards - assuming you consider that long range :--) I shoot one (recent convert from a double thumper magnum) using hornady light magnum 150 grain bullets out of a 24" barrel and generate 3,017 fps (rifle is a Weatherby Vanguard SMOA). I have made several 400 to 500 yard shots without loosing an animal. Also, you might enjoy the following article which coverrs everything from how to sight your long range rifle; to the retained energy factor; to the pentration factor; etc. http://www.kifaru.net/posimag.htm

P.S. - if you read the article, we have been sighting our rifles between 5" and 6" high at 100 yards for years, so this is not a new concept for us.

[bigbrother]

if you would like more insight into using the .308 as a long range round, check out Longrangehunting.com and do some searching. Ian McMurchy (outdoor writer) posts quite a bit on there and he has used this round for years in culling deer at extended ranges out west.

Accuracy (the ability to put the first shot right where you want it) every time is the key. If you shoot a 150g bullet through an animals vitals, it doesn't matter if it's 50yds or 550yds, it's still dead. Good luck and keep us filled in on your adventures.

And welcome to Hunt Chat.

[Desert Fox]

Thanks gentlemen. I had been using my 300 Win Mag Model 70 Laredo for all my long range work and it served me well but I would like to stepdown a bit using my 308. I have this super accurate custom 308 that I plan to use. Even with my 300, I never shoot on a game beyond 650 yards anyway. I figured I'm giving up energy for accuracy. Not that my 300 is not accurate but I can have more pactice time with my 308 without being hammered to a pulp. JR

[BILLY D.]

Originally posted by Desert Fox
Thanks gentlemen. I had been using my 300 Win Mag Model 70 Laredo for all my long range work and it served me well but I would like to stepdown a bit using my 308. I have this super accurate custom 308 that I plan to use. Even with my 300, I never shoot on a game beyond 650 yards anyway. I figured I'm giving up energy for accuracy. Not that my 300 is not accurate but I can have more pactice time with my 308 without being hammered to a pulp. JR

gee fox

you are a disappointment. i thought that was the whole point of having a 300+ caliber hamburger helper rifle, to kick the snot out of ya and take 1000-1600 yard shots on deer. how studly.

another dream dashed. shucks. by the way, there is a difference between shooting and "hunting".

just kidding. that is a smart move on your part with the 308. you can learn a lot that way about ranging and your personal abilities. the more we know about ourselves the better.

good shooting and good luck

[HPBTMTCH]

The advantage of a magnum rifle beyond 500 yards for me is wind drift. I have a rangefinder to know how far it is, and try to read mirage, but it`s shifting wind that gets me far more than range. I can put eggs out at 600 yards and shoot at them with my .308 heavy barrel, and then switch to the 30-378, and while both shoot the same groups on a very calm day at 600 yards, if there is any wind, my hit ratio with the .308 is about half what it is with the 30-378.

["yote"]

USMC Sniper school requires a person to be able to qualify by putting 10 rnds into a 10" circle at 1000 meters with a 7.62X51mmNATO round. ( that is the .308 WIN to civilians.). Nuf Said.

[rick savage]

i did;nt know we where in sniper school i thought we where hunting, by the way it is spelled (enough said) nuff said...lol

[Desert Fox]

Here's my sniper rifle I use for hunting